Southwestern Oklahoma State University
06/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/17/2026 13:00
SWOSU Selects 2026-27 Baccalaureate and Oklahoma Rising Scholar Recipients
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) has selected 27 incoming freshmen to receive Baccalaureate and Oklahoma Rising Scholar awards for the 2026-27 academic year. The scholarships are among the university's most competitive awards for incoming students and recognize strong academic achievement, school and community involvement, and preparation for college-level work.
Recipients receive scholarship packages that include tuition support, annual cash awards, and residence hall scholarships for up to four years. The awards represent a commitment from SWOSU and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) to support students who have already built strong academic records before beginning college.
Students selected for the awards are reviewed by a cross-campus committee. The committee considers academic achievement, school and community involvement, essay responses and each student's potential for success at SWOSU.
The Baccalaureate Scholarship is sponsored through OSRHE and recognizes students who enter college with a high level of academic achievement. To be considered, students must earn at least a 30 on the national ACT or a 1390 on the SAT. SWOSU awards 20 Baccalaureate Scholarships each year, with 15 awarded through the state and five sponsored by the university. Each recipient receives a full tuition waiver for up to eight semesters, an annual cash award of $3,500 and a residence hall waiver equivalent to a regular semi-private room. The total value of the award package exceeds $67,600.
The 2026-27 Baccalaureate Scholarship recipients are listed below by name, high school, and hometown:
- Adalee Alley-Buffalo High School, Buffalo
- Haedyn Avila-Southmoore High School, Oklahoma City
- Brooke Carter-Snyder High School, Snyder
- Peyton Cox-Mooreland High School, Woodward
- Katelyn Depue-Lexington High School, Purcell
- Erick Do-Moore High School, Oklahoma City
- Zachary Fulton-Westmoore High School, Oklahoma City
- Dasia Givens-Weatherford High School, Weatherford
- Addyson Hatfield-Elgin High School, Elgin
- Tessa Jones-McAlester High School, Krebs
- Turner Jones-Cordell High School, New Cordell
- Aceline Lor-Owasso High School, Owasso
- Jackson McCullough-Clinton High School, Clinton
- Danny Nguyen-Broken Arrow High School, Broken Arrow
- Jocelyn Peterson-Mount St. Mary High School, Oklahoma City
- Caleb Schultz-Kremlin-Hillsdale High School, Kremlin
- Ryan Thompson-Putnam City High School, Oklahoma City
- Ella Upton-Southwest Covenant High School, Yukon
- Lendan West-Wright City High School, Valliant
- Georgiah Xiong-Broken Arrow High School, Broken Arrow
The Oklahoma Rising Scholar award is also sponsored through OSRHE and recognizes Oklahoma residents who have shown strong academic ability before entering college. To be considered, students must meet one of several academic standards tied to ACT or SAT scores, grade-point average and class rank. SWOSU presents seven Oklahoma Rising Scholar awards each year. Recipients receive a full tuition waiver for up to eight semesters, an annual cash award of $3,200 and a residence hall waiver equivalent to a regular semi-private room. The total value of the award package exceeds $66,400.
The 2026-27 Oklahoma Rising Scholar recipients are listed below by name, high school, and hometown:
- London Hunter-Homeschool, Piedmont
- Tatum Kegin-Covington-Douglas High School, Douglas
- Baily Lawellin-Mooreland High School, Woodward
- Brax Meacham-Hydro-Eakly High School, Hydro
- Paisley Nichols-Purcell High School, Wayne
- Kathryn Skinner-Duncan High School, Duncan
- Charlotte Vaughn-Southmoore High School, Moore
The students selected for this year's Baccalaureate and Oklahoma Rising Scholar awards will enter SWOSU with strong records of preparation and achievement. The scholarships will provide support as they begin their college careers and recognize the work they have already done in their schools and communities.
"These scholarship recipients represent some of the brightest and most accomplished students in our service area as well as across the state," said Dr. Adam Johnson, Vice President for Student Services. "Their commitment to academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement has already set them apart, and we look forward to the many ways they will enrich the SWOSU community during their time on campus."
For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit https://www.swosu.edu.
About Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves over 5,000 students and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.
Thinking about becoming a Bulldog?
Choosing the right university comes with plenty of questions about applications, costs, and campus life. At SWOSU, students benefit from strong programs, a supportive community, and plenty of opportunities to get involved. This FAQ highlights answers to some of the questions students most often ask when considering SWOSU.
FAQs
How to apply to SWOSU?Start your application process by visiting SWOSU's admissions page to choose the path that fits you to submit your application!
To learn more, visit the SWOSU Admissions page.
For graduate degrees, you submit your application through the Graduate Application Portal and include transcripts and immunization records. Deadlines vary by program.
To learn more, visit the Graduate School Admissions page.
Tuition rates for SWOSU vary based on residency status and credit hours. For the most accurate and current tuition information, please refer to the official SWOSU Tuition and Fees page.
SWOSU welcomes transfer students! Requirements depend on hours completed: if under 24 hours, submit an application, test scores, and transcripts. For more than 24 hours, submit your application, transcript(s), and immunization records. A GPA of 1.7 is required for up to 30 hours; 2.0 is required beyond that.
To learn more, visit the Transfer Students page.
SWOSU offers a range of financial assistance, including scholarships, grants, and loans. These can come from academic departments, foundations, or federal and state resources.
To learn more, visit the Scholarships & Grants page.
SWOSU's "In-State + $1 Tuition Program" allows non-resident (including transfer and international) students to pay the in-state tuition rate plus $1 per credit hour. No extra application is needed. Savings can exceed $3,450 per semester (based on 15 credit hours).
Note: This rate applies to tuition only, not fees, housing, meal plan, or books. To learn more, visit the In-State + $1 Tuition page.
Yes! SWOSU offers graduate programs in areas such as Education, Business, Nursing, Allied Health, and more.
To learn more, visit the Graduate School Admissions page.
Yes! SWOSU offers online courses and degree options across undergraduate and graduate levels to give students flexibility with their schedules.
To learn more, visit our SWOSU Online page.
On-campus housing includes traditional residence halls and apartment-style living. These options offer amenities like meal plans, laundry, and social spaces.
To learn more, visit our Residential Life page.
SWOSU hosts more than 80 student clubs and organizations-ranging from Chemistry Club, Scuba Club, Gaming Club, Honors Associations, Hispanic American Leadership Organization, to Faith-based, academic, and recreational groups.
To learn more, visit the Student Organizations page.
SWOSU offers services including academic advising, tutoring, writing support, health and counseling services, financial aid assistance, residence life, library, and more.
To learn more, visit the Student Services page.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University published this content on June 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 17, 2026 at 19:00 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]